ULA Ohm 2.0
ULA Pack cover
This was my pack. It got me to Katahdin.
$200. 1.5 lbs once you throw out the hydration sleeve, internal pocket, handloops, and foam pad. Nice big mesh, side, and hip belt pockets. It was quite roomy given my minimalist gear. And it's pretty water resistant too. I found the pack cover in a hiker box at Trail Days but only used it in prolonged downpours. The removable frame was a little flimsy and bent out of place multiple times which was annoying.
Tent
Henry Shires Tarptent Contrail
I love this tent! I know of no better tent in terms of price, weight, and ease of setup. It weighs 1.5 pounds and is sale now for $185. I used one trekking pole to stand it up and almost always kept the storm flap open without getting rained on. It's quite roomy. I've fit 2 people in here before. The only bad part is that the nylon will sag a bit in the rain and I would have to get out to retension the guylines. And I didn't even seem seal this as recommended - no problem.
Sleep System
Marmot Helium 15 degree down
Marmot Atom 40 degree down
Cocoon Silk Mummy Liner
Thermarest Neoair Xlite size small
I started out with the 15 degree bag and swapped it for the summer bag when I got to Damascus and then back again when I got to Vermont. I already owned these bags so that was a plus. Marmot makes some great bags. I really like the full zip as I could open it up and use it like a blanket when I wanted. Lightweight too - about 1.5 lbs for the Atom and 2 lbs for the Helium. But it's down - don't get it wet. The silk liner was great but I really only used it at the beginning. It adds about 9 degrees to your bag but it never got cold enough to where I needed it. The liner is helpful in keeping your bag clean. All that sweat and dirt get on the liner instead of the sleeping bag The liner can be washed whenever you do laundry. Another reason to have a liner is because many of the hostels down south don't provide sheets for the beds and you'd want to sleep with the liner. In the hot summer nights, you can also go with just the liner. Towards the end of the trip, I could have gone without the liner. My sleeping bag was pretty dirty at this point anyway and I just didn't care to use the liner anymore. The Neoair mattress was amazing. It's only 8 oz and packs down to nothing. The small size is torso length so my legs were on the ground but that didn't bother me all. The small size is just as comfortable but cheaper, lighter, and packs smaller. I think I bought the first generation mattress on sale for $90.
Cookset
Evernew Appalachian cookset
This little titanium stove worked great but I burned only with alcohol and never used the wood or solid fuel options. I sent the set home once I got to Vermont and I never cooked after that. The pot is a half liter and the whole set weighs less than 6 oz. So it's a small pot but it turned out to be just big enough for me.. I paid about $100. Not worth it. Save money by making your own stove. Or just go without a stove like I did for a quarter of the trip.
Clothing
Outdoor Reasearch Filament Pullover
Got this on sale 1/2 off in Asheville right before I left. Great down layer. Lightweight. But it's down, don't get it wet.
Craft Baselayer 1/4 zip top
Arcteryx RHO LTW bottom
I only wore these a couple times. Sent home along with my winter bag for the summer months and got them back at the end. I already owned these. Both are great pieces.
Arcteryx Delta LT fleece
Light, warm, packable.
Outdoor Research Helium II Rain Jacket
Great rain shell. I paid $80. Not bombproof but it's breathable, weighs only 6 oz, and packs down super small. Pretty much all you really need.
Darn Tough hiker 1/4 sock cushion (1 pair)
Point 6 Socks hiking tech mini crew (1 pair)
Both are great socks with lifetime guarantees. The Point 6's might have even been more comfortable and they lasted just as long as the Darn Toughs.
Smartwool Training Beanie
Lightweight and packed small. Kept my head warm.
Buff Headwear
Kept the sun off my head and neck in the summer. Cool off by dipping it in a stream. Keep sweat off your forehead. Keep warm by wearing it around your neck or pulling it up over your face. Fold it over your eyes and use it as a sleep mask. Mine had a map of the AT.
Patagonia Strider Pro shorts
Lightweight and quick drying trail running shorts. I wore these every day for 6 and a half months. They held up great. I slept with these. I showered with these. Not cheap at almost $60 but totally worth it.
Shoes
Altra Lone Peak trail runners
Lightweight, zero drop, flexible, wide toe box, quick drying, and sufficient cushioning. The original and the 1.5s are both great. I didn't get one blister until Pennsylvania. Rocky PA is hard on your feet no matter what shoes you're wearing. I tried the latest iteration, the Lone Peak 2.0, and didn't care much for them. If you find a pair of shoes that work for you, replace them with the same shoe.
Bedrock Syncline Sandals
These are pretty sweet. They weigh about 5 oz and fit pretty nicely in the back of my pack. Used mostly as camp shoes and town shoes. But not necessary. The Lone Peaks were comfortable enough that I didn't even need these.
Water Treatment
Sawyer Mini Filter
Sawyer 1L Bags
Incredible little filter. $20 online and will last you the entire trip. Attach it to the bags and just sip out of it. I sipped from the filter, never squeezed the bags. Like any other filter, be careful not to let these freeze. The Sawyer bags will brake after about 500 miles. Some use these filters with Smartwater bottle or the Platypus collapsable bags. The threading for the Platy bags is slightly off but people still use them. By far, the most popular water treatment on trail.
Stuff Sacks
Granite Gear waterproof 13L
Sea To Summit waterproof 13L
Sea To Summit waterproof XS
ZPacks Cuben Fiber Bag
I found the 13L to be the perfect size for my sleeping bag, for a food bag, and clothes bag. The xs size was perfect for a little ditty accessory bag (batteries, chargers, etc.). I liked the Granite Gear the best because of the space saving shape that fits better in your pack. Cuben Fiber stuff sacks are terrible. I'm not ripping on ZPacs, just the cuben fiber material. I'm just not a fan of Cuben fiber. Cuben fiber is expensive and delicate. Cuben fiber tents might be OK but not cuben fiber stuff sacks. Save your money.
Headlamp
Black Diamond Spot
Much brighter than my old Petzl headlamp I started out with but sucks up battery life. I think I would go back to Petzl. Maybe one of their newer models.
Trekking Poles
Leki Makalu Tour
Leki doesn't make these anymore but I really like them. Twist lock, aluminum, without the anti-shock. I got foam grips on these halfway and really like those. I tried one of the newer and more expensive models - titanium, quick-lock, with cork grips - and just didn't like them. I like the fact that Leki was at Trail Days repair poles for thru hikers. Way to support the hiking community! My old poles were like new after they worked on them.
Electronics
Sony RX100ii Camera
This is arguably the best camera given it's size, price, and quality. I bought this 'like new' off of Amazon for $500. It's a 20MP point and shoot with a quality lense and a larger sensor. At 10oz, it's a quality camera that rivals some larger DSLRs and it was small enough to carry in my hip pocket. I'm a big fan of Sony cameras after this. If I had to choose again though, I would go with one of their interchangeable lens cameras. A larger angle lense would have been nice. But think about how you will carry your camera and accessories. If any of this ends up in the back of your pack, it won't be getting used. When you're tired and have another 10 miles to go, you're not going to stop to get your camera out of your pack to get a shot. The camera is not waterproof. I stashed it away when it rained.
Henry Shires Tarptent Contrail
I love this tent! I know of no better tent in terms of price, weight, and ease of setup. It weighs 1.5 pounds and is sale now for $185. I used one trekking pole to stand it up and almost always kept the storm flap open without getting rained on. It's quite roomy. I've fit 2 people in here before. The only bad part is that the nylon will sag a bit in the rain and I would have to get out to retension the guylines. And I didn't even seem seal this as recommended - no problem.
Sleep System
Marmot Helium 15 degree down
Marmot Atom 40 degree down
Cocoon Silk Mummy Liner
Thermarest Neoair Xlite size small
I started out with the 15 degree bag and swapped it for the summer bag when I got to Damascus and then back again when I got to Vermont. I already owned these bags so that was a plus. Marmot makes some great bags. I really like the full zip as I could open it up and use it like a blanket when I wanted. Lightweight too - about 1.5 lbs for the Atom and 2 lbs for the Helium. But it's down - don't get it wet. The silk liner was great but I really only used it at the beginning. It adds about 9 degrees to your bag but it never got cold enough to where I needed it. The liner is helpful in keeping your bag clean. All that sweat and dirt get on the liner instead of the sleeping bag The liner can be washed whenever you do laundry. Another reason to have a liner is because many of the hostels down south don't provide sheets for the beds and you'd want to sleep with the liner. In the hot summer nights, you can also go with just the liner. Towards the end of the trip, I could have gone without the liner. My sleeping bag was pretty dirty at this point anyway and I just didn't care to use the liner anymore. The Neoair mattress was amazing. It's only 8 oz and packs down to nothing. The small size is torso length so my legs were on the ground but that didn't bother me all. The small size is just as comfortable but cheaper, lighter, and packs smaller. I think I bought the first generation mattress on sale for $90.
Cookset
Evernew Appalachian cookset
This little titanium stove worked great but I burned only with alcohol and never used the wood or solid fuel options. I sent the set home once I got to Vermont and I never cooked after that. The pot is a half liter and the whole set weighs less than 6 oz. So it's a small pot but it turned out to be just big enough for me.. I paid about $100. Not worth it. Save money by making your own stove. Or just go without a stove like I did for a quarter of the trip.
Clothing
Outdoor Reasearch Filament Pullover
Got this on sale 1/2 off in Asheville right before I left. Great down layer. Lightweight. But it's down, don't get it wet.
Craft Baselayer 1/4 zip top
Arcteryx RHO LTW bottom
I only wore these a couple times. Sent home along with my winter bag for the summer months and got them back at the end. I already owned these. Both are great pieces.
Arcteryx Delta LT fleece
Light, warm, packable.
Outdoor Research Helium II Rain Jacket
Great rain shell. I paid $80. Not bombproof but it's breathable, weighs only 6 oz, and packs down super small. Pretty much all you really need.
Darn Tough hiker 1/4 sock cushion (1 pair)
Point 6 Socks hiking tech mini crew (1 pair)
Both are great socks with lifetime guarantees. The Point 6's might have even been more comfortable and they lasted just as long as the Darn Toughs.
Smartwool Training Beanie
Lightweight and packed small. Kept my head warm.
Buff Headwear
Kept the sun off my head and neck in the summer. Cool off by dipping it in a stream. Keep sweat off your forehead. Keep warm by wearing it around your neck or pulling it up over your face. Fold it over your eyes and use it as a sleep mask. Mine had a map of the AT.
Patagonia Strider Pro shorts
Lightweight and quick drying trail running shorts. I wore these every day for 6 and a half months. They held up great. I slept with these. I showered with these. Not cheap at almost $60 but totally worth it.
Shoes
Altra Lone Peak trail runners
Lightweight, zero drop, flexible, wide toe box, quick drying, and sufficient cushioning. The original and the 1.5s are both great. I didn't get one blister until Pennsylvania. Rocky PA is hard on your feet no matter what shoes you're wearing. I tried the latest iteration, the Lone Peak 2.0, and didn't care much for them. If you find a pair of shoes that work for you, replace them with the same shoe.
Bedrock Syncline Sandals
These are pretty sweet. They weigh about 5 oz and fit pretty nicely in the back of my pack. Used mostly as camp shoes and town shoes. But not necessary. The Lone Peaks were comfortable enough that I didn't even need these.
Water Treatment
Sawyer Mini Filter
Sawyer 1L Bags
Incredible little filter. $20 online and will last you the entire trip. Attach it to the bags and just sip out of it. I sipped from the filter, never squeezed the bags. Like any other filter, be careful not to let these freeze. The Sawyer bags will brake after about 500 miles. Some use these filters with Smartwater bottle or the Platypus collapsable bags. The threading for the Platy bags is slightly off but people still use them. By far, the most popular water treatment on trail.
Stuff Sacks
Granite Gear waterproof 13L
Sea To Summit waterproof 13L
Sea To Summit waterproof XS
ZPacks Cuben Fiber Bag
I found the 13L to be the perfect size for my sleeping bag, for a food bag, and clothes bag. The xs size was perfect for a little ditty accessory bag (batteries, chargers, etc.). I liked the Granite Gear the best because of the space saving shape that fits better in your pack. Cuben Fiber stuff sacks are terrible. I'm not ripping on ZPacs, just the cuben fiber material. I'm just not a fan of Cuben fiber. Cuben fiber is expensive and delicate. Cuben fiber tents might be OK but not cuben fiber stuff sacks. Save your money.
Headlamp
Black Diamond Spot
Much brighter than my old Petzl headlamp I started out with but sucks up battery life. I think I would go back to Petzl. Maybe one of their newer models.
Trekking Poles
Leki Makalu Tour
Leki doesn't make these anymore but I really like them. Twist lock, aluminum, without the anti-shock. I got foam grips on these halfway and really like those. I tried one of the newer and more expensive models - titanium, quick-lock, with cork grips - and just didn't like them. I like the fact that Leki was at Trail Days repair poles for thru hikers. Way to support the hiking community! My old poles were like new after they worked on them.
Electronics
Sony RX100ii Camera
This is arguably the best camera given it's size, price, and quality. I bought this 'like new' off of Amazon for $500. It's a 20MP point and shoot with a quality lense and a larger sensor. At 10oz, it's a quality camera that rivals some larger DSLRs and it was small enough to carry in my hip pocket. I'm a big fan of Sony cameras after this. If I had to choose again though, I would go with one of their interchangeable lens cameras. A larger angle lense would have been nice. But think about how you will carry your camera and accessories. If any of this ends up in the back of your pack, it won't be getting used. When you're tired and have another 10 miles to go, you're not going to stop to get your camera out of your pack to get a shot. The camera is not waterproof. I stashed it away when it rained.
Joby Gorrilapod
Because if you have a camera, you need a tripod.
Stick Pic
Take selfies with your camera attached to your trekking pole. Great idea but I only used it a couple times.
iPhone 5c
Put it on airplane mode and the charge will last for days.
iPod mini
Because sometimes you want something to listen to - music, podcasts, audiobooks.
Trail Guide
AWOL
This is only the best trail guide out there. I cut the book into quarter sections. You don't need to know about Maine when you're still in Georgia.
If you think you might need it, you probably don't need it. Here is what I didn't have with me:
Gloves - I have two pairs of socks. On the couple occasion when I need it, I put socks on my hands.
Underwear - I've been living underwear free since 2010. It's great!
Pepper Spray/Gun/Knife - Don't be that guy.
Bear Bell/Bear Spray/Bear Canister - Black bears want nothing to do with you. Hang a bear bag.
Solar charger - Solar chargers don't work that well in the woods. You can charge your device in town every few days anyway.
Gators - If I got rocks in my shoes, I'll just take them off and dump them out. No big deal.
Rain Pants - My legs got wet. It's OK.
Camp Towel - Air dry.
Insoles - Not only did I not use special insoles, I removed the insoles that came in my shoes and hiked without insoles- lighter weight, didn't smell as bad, and dried faster.
Pillow - Sleep on your clothes.
Trowel - Dig a hole by using a stick or rock.
Map and Compass - Follow the blazes.
Ground Cloth - Just be mindful of where you setup your tent.
Cuben Fiber - I had one cuben fiber stuff sack. Save your money.
Stuff sacks - A stuff sacks come with the tent, the stakes, the stove, the silk liner, the mattress. You don't need them.
Wallet - Use a ziplock bag for your cash and whatever cards you have. If it makes you feel better, take a marker and write "GUCCI" on it.
Nalgene bottles - If you carry two 1L bottles, that's half a pound you have without them even being filled up with water. Use the collapsible Platypus type bags.
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